The Ritz Theater was located in a predominantly African-American area of the city and is listed as being a “Negro theater” in Film Daily Yearbooks.

It was always considered one of the more popular theatres in the area and was situated across the street from Fisk University.

An opening date is unknown at the moment, but it was certainly operating in the late 1930’s and perhaps before then. It closed around 1969 and there is a report that ‘it remained a recognizable landmark, at the time of a 1999 proposal to turn it into a mass transit center with day care facilities’. That did not happen and the building was razed possibly at the time of construction of Interstate 40.

There was also a ‘newer’ Ritz Theater which operated in Nashville from 1973 – 1980 (no address found). This was closed soon after a customer was stabbed. It was demolished in June 2001.